On December 14th, Nippon Badminton Association announced the members of its national team for 2017.

By Miyuki Komiya, Badzine Correspondent

Men’s singles

Kenta Nishimoto
Takuma Ueda
Kazumasa Sakai
Yu Igarashi

After the issue of illegal casino last April, Japan’s men’s singles shuttlers have been unable to get any good results. Former stars Kenichi Tago and Kento Momota even had their names removed from the BWF ranking lists when the Nippon Badminton Association de-registered them. Things only got bleaker when Sho Sasaki retired after Rio.

For 2017, All Japan finalists Kenta Nishimoto and Kazumasa Sakai (pictured) were selected, according to the national team selection rules. Takuma Ueda was the 3rd of the All Japan. The new name in the National A Team is Yu Igarashi. Yu was a quarter-finalist in All Japan and while normally, he wouldn’t have been selected based on that result, he got two titles this year in domestic events, one in the ranking circuit and one in the university championships.

Only three pairs can be selected for the A team in men’s doubles. This year, all three were selected based on results at the All Japan event. After the retirement of Kenichi Hayakawa, Hiroyuki Endo paired up with Yuta Watanabe, who is 10 years younger. Endo will teach Watanabe how to play against top players in the world and aim to get a medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

New team members have appeared in women’s doubles. World #17 Koharu Yonemoto and Shiho Tanaka (pictured above, with Ayaka Takahashi / Misaki Matsutomo) had defeated World #7 Naoko Fukuman / Kurumi Yonao in the semi-final in All Japan and that earned them a spot on the team. Another new pair is World #24 Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota. They were semi-finalist in All Japan and got the title in the National Workforce Championships this year. Despite being in the world’s top ten, Fukuman/Yonao were relegated to the national B team.

Mixed doubles

Kenta Kazuno / Ayane Kurihara
Yuta Watanabe / Arisa Higashino

Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino (pictured) are new to the A team. Only one mixed pair was included in last year’s A team but this year, Yuta Watanabe qualified in men’s doubles. He is the most talented player in both types of doubles and he and Higashino reached the quarter-finals in the All Japan. The title at that all-important event was won by Kamura and Yonemoto but they play for different company teams and train separately so they are focusing on level doubles, opening up the opportunity for the 19-year-old Watanabe and Higashino – who turns 21 next month – to join the A team.

Women’s singles

Nozomi Okuhara
Akane Yamaguchi
Sayaka Sato
Minatsu Mitani

There were no changes in the A team for women’s singles, where all the same players from 2016 made the 2017 squad. There are changes in the singles coaching line-up, however, as Yousuke Nakanishi (pictured) and Choi Sang Beom, who coached the B team last year, have switched places with Keita Masuda. Joining Masuda on the B team coaching staff are Kenichi Hayakawa and Eriko Hirose, both of whom recently retired from international play.

About Miyuki Komiya

Miyuki Komiya is Badzine's correspondent in Japan. She joined the Badzine team in 2008 to provide coverage of the Japanese badminton scene. She has played badminton for more than 30 years and has been a witness to the modern history of Japanese badminton, both watching players become stronger on court and hearing the players comment on their increasing success over the years. Contact her at: miyuki @ badzine.net

1 Comment

I am Amartya Kunta from India. I am traveling to Japan along with my father Ravinder Kunta who is on his business trip.
I wish to practice and get trained in badminton during this period in Tokyo.
Could someone help me in this regard.
Thanks for you help in advance.
Amartya.